We started ABA in August, although not officially. We found a SCL provider that had been trained in ABA who has been working with dd, while we were on the waiting list for the official ABA program. My dd adores "R" and vice versa, she has helped us in more ways than I can count and brought hope back to us about our dd future.
We are now off the waiting list for the official program and we are trying to get our 30-40 hours a week of ABA scheduled (we had only been doing about 15/week with "R"). Suddenly our caseworker (we are on the MR waiver) is telling me we are going to have to get rid of "R" because they can't give my dd more than 20 hours a week of approved SCL (ABA is considered SCL) because of her age (she is almost 3 1/2). WTF??? How can they make that decision when every book says the more hours of early intervention the better and recommend 30-40 hours a week. I am so incredibly frustrated and I just don't know what to do. Its ultimately up to our caseworker and her supervisor to decide the amt of hours and I don't know what else to do to pleed our case. Help?? How have you all gotten that many hours approved for a young child?

Katie

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Oh Katie, I am sorry to hear that you are having problems. I would talk to your case worker again and definitely appeal the decision. We haven't had any troubles, we are getting the hours and I am in MN. I wish I had more words of advice for you. Hopefully someone else will have some ideas for you. I'm thinking of you!

Chris
Mother to BBBBB
born at 28.3 weeks

http://lilypie.com>

i don't understand why you have to get rid of R? is she not contracted with the state or something?
anyway, i would raise hell. honestly. but if she CAN get 20 hrs/wk is she also getting 'other' therapy--like OT, speech, etc? because we never did a full 30-40 hr week ABA program, but he was 'engaged' in other activities (either other therapy or preschool) those other hours, so it was a total of 40 hrs a week, just not ALL ABA. does that make sense?

has R been keeping any kind of progress notes? you could use that and whatever data she has of progress to plead your case--emphasize how the connection between R and DD is what is bringing about progress, and detail as much of the progress that has been done--and tell them that with even more hrs of ABA with R, that DD will progress even more.
i hope you can find a solution, this is so hard, especially when you've found that golden person that works so well with your child.
My son had been in the 'system' for a year before we got his diagnosis and we had the same case worker, and we got along well. when charles was approved for ABA hours she literally asked me how many hours i wanted! i know, i nearly passed out myself, i couldn't believe it. i think we were approved for 40, but only used about 25-30 per week, as i said before.

Meg